Animated talking toy with built-in recorder



Aug. 10, 1965 HISASHI SUZU Kl 3,199,248

ANIMATED TALKING TOY WITH BUILT-IN RECORDER Filed May 18, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. H/sASH/ Su'zuff/ BY m ATTORNEYS Aug. 10, 1965 HISASHI SUZUKI ANIMATED TALKING TOY WITH BUILTIN RECORDER Filed May 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ///.S/7SH/ S'uzyK ATTOR NE Y5 assess-s rations rov wrrn lancer-torts Suzuk Tokyo, Japan aseignor to Louis Marx C0,, inc new York, N a corporation or New v as, has;

like, are known to the art and, in a number of instances, such toys or figures have been provided with sound re reducing mechanisms, such as a record or the like, whet-by the toy or figure may be made to speak w ile also the effect of animation. These prior art ments have generally been of two types. In one type, which is generally self-contained, a record player or the like has been mounted within the body of the toy or e so that the toy or figure will apcear to reproduce recorded upon a record mounted upon the record in this parti u ar arrangement, it is not possibie fo the reproduced inform tion or ta k to be changer. wit out disassembling the entire rnecha isrn from the body so to be able to change the record. in other words, the animated toy or figure constantly repeats the same sound at all times.

in another known prior art arrangement, an animated toy or figure is provided \vi 1 a speaker or the like which is connected to an extraneous and remotely located roicrophone, as through an ant, tier, so that words spoken into the microphone will to be spoken by the anid toy or figure.

prior art a gar nts have varie is disadvann the first casentionecl above, the conversation oduce-i b; the toy or figure cannot be changed iii, in any event, not without removing the sound from the body of the toy or figure. The secngenicnt has the disadvantages that it is not cornietely self-contained ano portable but must maintained at a fixed location and connected, by wiring or the like, to an extraneous and remote microphone or the like. This is in even though the information or conversation inst" \i, which is completely self-contained and portable which will not only reproduce conversation or other ages of the figure, such as the head, tail, wings, and, in the case of a toy earrot, one of the two beal; members. Associated v in this mechanism is a tape recorder having to dictate, erase and reproduce, this figure is provided with with a microphone.

internally mounted Consequently, the operator may speak into the DilCIO phone and have the conversation thus spoken recorded on the endless tape, with erasure of prior recorded information. Thereupon, and upon conditioning of the tape record-er for reproducing conversation or the like, the tape recorder is driven to reproduce the recorded information sin iltaneously the animating mechanism is energized so that the appendages of the figure are moved in a lite-like During erasing of previous information and recording of new information on the endless tape, only the tape recorder is energized, by means of novel Witching mechanism, and the animation mechanism remains idle.

hen the invention is applied, for example, to the case of an anirated bird, such as a parrot, the control mechanisrn is rho ed in a suitable base having a porch extending therefrom upon which the bird is mounted. The whole arr ngernent is easily portable and is preferably self-powered, as by batteries and the like.

For an un erstanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the foilowing description of a typical embodiment thereof as illustrated the accompanying drawings. in the FG. 2 is a side eleva on vi ing parrot, the internal lines and the outlines of broken lines;

EEG. 3 is a front clevational view corresponding to FL. 2; and

4- is a schematic wi diagram illustrating the animation mechanism and associated sound recording and reproducing r ism, together with the novel interrelated switch leans.

Referring to S. l, 2 and 3, the invention is illustrated as embodied in a toy parrot having substantially hollow body 1, a substantially hollow head i, a beak part 5 on the head 7', a tail and wings Head *7, tail l1 and wings are ap sendages movabl relative to body El, and beak part 1 an aoper iage movable relative to head i. The animating me- 'in A (FEGS. Z and 3), is mounted within the body 11., and the sound r otlucing mechanism, generally indicated at 5, is mean within a suitable base having a perch extending upw i ii therefrom and supporting the parrot, as best seen in PEG. 1.

lead 7 is pivotally connected to body 1 at 17, so that it may be oscillated horizontally through an arc coneentrio with pivot 17. Beak part 9 is pivoted to the head '7 intermediate its ends, as indicated at 2 The tail has an operating member 11 extending thereinto, and this operating member is pivoted to body 1 as at W. Wings 23 are likewise pivoted to the body I, as indicated, these wings having operating members extending thereinto.

The mechanism A includes an electric motor 2. which is mounted in a frame, generally indicated at 14, also supporting reduction gearing driven by the motor 2. Through this reduction gearing, motor 2, when energized, rotates cranks 3 and i. A link or connecting rod 5 connects the crank 3 to the inner end of the movable beak 9 so that, when crank 3 is rotated, the movable beak part 9 is oscillated. A second link or connecting rod 6 conmeets the crank 33 to a portion of operating member 11 spaced from the pivotal mounting Elli thereof so that, when crank 3 is rotated, the tail will be oscillated or swung from left to right by the member 11.

As best illustrated in FIG. 2, mechanism A includes a rod or wire bent into a generally T-shape including a bifurcated generally horizontal head portion 16 providing a slot in which is engaged the free end 12 of the crank 4. ()nc end of this wire or rod is pivoted at 13 to the body parts being hown i A of the cam disk 19.

the frame '14, and the stem 15 of the rod extends through a radial slot '7' in the lower portion of the head 7 adjacent the pivot 17. Thus, ascrank 4 is rotated, the free end portion 15 will be oscillated so that, in turn, the head 7 will be oscillated from right to left about its pivotal mounting 7 and relative to the body 1.

A cam disk 19 is fixed to the axial part of the crank 4 and has fingers 18 projecting from its periphery. A bent rocker rod 21 is pivoted at 20 to the frame 14, and has a spring 22 connected thereto, the spring 22 being also connected to the frame 14. Due to the bias exerted by the spring 22, a part 21a of the rod 21 is maintained in engagement with the cam disk 19 and with the fingers 18 of the latter.

The means for operating the wings 23 includes pivoted operating members 23a extending into the wings, and which have angularly off-set inner ends formed with cincident slots 23b. A free end of the rod 21 is engaged in both slots 23b. Thus, as crank 4 and cam disk 19 are rotated, the operating members 23a will flap the wings 23 as the part 21:: of the rod 21 rides over the fingers 18 It will thus be noted that the mechanism A will oscillate head 7 and beak portion 9, as well as oscallating tail 11 and flapping wings 23, all in timed relation to each other, to give a lifelike animation to the figure.

For a purpose to be described, a microphone 24 is mounted Within the body 1, preferably adjacent the front of the body, and a loudspeaker 25 is also mounted within body 1, preferably adjacent a side of the body. Furthermore, a pilot lamp 2% is provided at the eye location of the parrot.

Referring more specifically to FIG. 4, the sound recording and reproducing mechanism B comprises a tape recorder provided with an endless recording tape 27. The tape recorder has a recording and reproducing head 28, and the tape 27 is driven by an electric motor 29. The tape recorder further includes an erasing means 30 including a permanent magnet 31 which may be swung selectively into erasing relation with the tape 27.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, the operation of the animation mechanism as well as the sound mechanism is controlled by switches S1 and S2. The switch S1 is a type of switch which moves between open and closed positions, and vice versa, upon successive depressions of its operating button. As best seen in FIG. 4, the switch S1 is a normally open, three-arm switch. When switch S1 is closed, one arm connects a conventionally illustrated battery to the sound recording and reproducing system, a second arm partially completes an energizing circuit for the motor 2 by connecting a conventionally illustrated battery into this circuit, and the third arm connects the motor 29 across another conventionally illustrated battery, the latter two batteries having the same voltage, such as 1.5 volts.

The switch S2 is a record-reproduce switch which is normally biased to the reproduce position. When switch S2 is operated, as by pressing its operating button, it conditions the sound reproducing system to record and, at the same time, moves the permanent magnet 31 into operative relation with the tape 27 so as to erase sounds on the tape in advance of the position at which the tape passes the record-reproduce head 23, 'as indicated by the arrow. A switch S3 is operatively associated with the switch S2 for conjoint operation therewith and, when switch S2 is in the reproduce position, the switch S3 is closed. When switch S2 is moved to the record position, the switch S3 is opened so that motor 2 will remain deenergized even though the switch S1 is closed. A switch S4 is also operatively connected with the switch S2'so that, when the switch S2 is in its normal or reproduce position, the speaker 25 is connected in circuit with the sound amplifying system. When switch S2 is moved to the record position, switch S4 disconnects the speaker 25 from the remainder of the sound system, and

connects an impedance into such system, this impedance replacing the normal impedance of the speaker 25. As

I the several batteries into the circuits.

stated, switch S2 is of the type which is normally biased to one position, and which, after pressure thereon is released, will return to such one position.

The described arrangement operates as follows. To begin with, the switch S1 is operated and thus connects Switch S2 is then pushed to the record position and a conversation then may be recorded on the endless tape 27 by speaking into the microphone 24. At this time, the speaker 25 is disconnected from the circuit by the switch S4, and the motor 2 for the animating mechanism remains deenergized due to the switch S3 being opened. After the desired information thus has been recorded upon the endless re cording tape 27, the switch S2 is released and the system is automatically switched over to reproduce the recorded sound respectively. Thereby, the speaker 25 is reconnected into the system and the motor 2 for the animating mechanism is energized by closure of the switch S3. The tape recorder thus reproduces, through the speaker 25, the previously recorded information and, at the same time, due to energization of the motor 2, the animating mechanism is operated. Consequently, during repro-- duction of the recorded sound, the head 7 will be oscillated back and forth relative to the body 1, the beak 9 will move up and down, the tail 11 will be swung back and forth, and the wings 23 will be fluttered or fiapped.

. The tail 11 swings from left to right and vice versa.

By virtue of the combined animation and the sound reproduction, the toy parrot will appear lifelike. The information reproduced by the toy parrot may be changed readily, at any time, by depressing the switch S2 which will bring erasing device 3!), and particiularly its permanent magnet 31, into operative relation with the endless tape 27. It will be noted that, when information is being recorded upon the endless tape 27, the motor 2 is deenergized so that there will be no animation of the appendages of the parrot during recording. This has the desirable effect that noise due to the motor, its gearing, and the movable appendages will not be recorded upon the tape so that the words spoken into the microphone 24 will be clearly recorded and reproduced.

While the present invention is primarily intended for amusement, it will be appreciated that it has value as an advertising device as any desired advertisment may be recorded readily and easily on the endless tape, and then reproduced together with animation of the bird. Due to the simplicity of construction of the invention arrangement, it has a very great practical value not only for amusement but also for advertising purposes.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A talking figure comprising, in combination, a hollow body; appendages movably connected to said body;

motor driven animating mechanism in said body and connected to said appendages, said animating mechanism, when activated, moving said appendages relative to said body; a motor driven tape recorder having an erase head and a record-reproduce head; and endless record tape on said recorder; a microphone and a speaker within said body and connected to said recorder; and selector means operable to switch said recorder from a reproduce condition to an erase-record condition whereby erasure of previously recorded sounds takes place con currently with the recording of new sounds; said selector means, in the reproduce position, connecting said 7 speaker to said record-reproduce head and activating record-reproduce head and deactivating the motor of said animating mechanism.

2- A talking figure, as claimed in claim 1, in which said animating mechanism and said tape recorder are driven by electric motors; said selector means comprising selector electric switch means.

3. A talking figure, as claimed in claim 2, in which said selector switch means is biased to the reproduce position.

4. A talking figure, as claimed in claim 2, in which said selector switch means includes switch arm means selectively operable to connect either said microphone or said speaker to said record-reproduce head, and a first switch included in the energizing circuit of the electric motor for said animating mechanism.

5. A talking figure, as claimed in claim 4, including control switch means selectively operable to connect said animating mechanism and said tape recorder to a source of electric potential, said control switch means including a second switch connected in the energizing circuit of the motor of said animating mechanism in series with said first switch, and a third switch connected in the energizing circuit of the motor of said tape recorder.

References Cited lay the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,512,283 10/24 Fritsche 46118 3,019,302 1/62 Westerffeld et a1. 179100.2

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

' JAMES W. LOVE, Examiner. 

1. A TALKING FIGURE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A HOLLOW BODY; APPENDAGES MOVABLY CONNECTED TO SAID BODY; MOTOR DRIVEN ANIMATING MECHANISM IN SAID BODY AND CONNECTED TO SAID APPENDAGES, SAID ANIMATING MECHANISM, WHEN ACTIVATED, MOVING SAID APPENDAGES RELATIVE TO SAID BODY; A MOTOR DRIVEN TAPE RECORDER HAVING AN ERASE HEAD AND A RECORD-REPRODUCE HEAD; AND ENDLESS RECORD TAPE ON SAID RECORDDER; A MICROPHONE AND A SPEAKER WITHIN SAID BODY AND CONNECTED TO SAID RECORDER; AND SELECTOR MEANS OPERABLE TO SWITCH SAID RECORDER FROM A "REPRODUCE" CONDITION TO AN "ERASE-RECORD" CONDITION WHEREBY ERASURE OF PREVIOUSLY RECORDED SOUNDS TAKES PLACE CONCURRENTLKY WITH THE RECORDING OF NEW SOUNDS; SAID SELECTOR MEANS, IN THE "REPRODUCE" POSITION, CONNECTING SAID SPEAKER TO SAID RECORD-REPRODUCE HEAD AND ACTIVATING THE MOTOR OF SAID ANIMATING MECHANISM AND, IN THE "ERASERECORD" POSITION, CONNECTING SAID MICRPHONE TO SAID RECORD-REPRODUCE HEAD AND DEACTIVATING THE MOTOR OF SAID ANIMATING MECHANISM. 